I had a customer come in the other day asking if we had any 3.5" 20ga. shells. I corrected him and told him we have 3.5" 12ga and 3" 20ga. He then told me, no, the barrel said 3.5" 20ga. I asked if maybe it was mis-marked, and he replied no, the chamber was that long. I remember something about Hastings, I do believe, came out with a 3.5" 20ga. slug and they would ream the chamber of a single shot to fit it. The customer said, that this was an older gun, a single-shot, break open, that his dad had given him.
Any of you guys have a clue about this?

Jim

Anything is possible when it comes to cartridges and shotgun shells. Try an inquiry at the International Ammunition Association site. Cartridge Collectors specialize in the rare, unusual and just plain weird.

http://cartridgecollectors.org/

Another thing, is your customer confusing the loaded length with the fired length? I kind of doubt it, but measuring the chamber could be interesting. Forcing cones vary a lot in old guns. some are very short and some are very long, even though the old fiber wads didn't like long ones.

Bye
Jack

I think it is a figment of someone's imagination. A 3-1/2" 20 gauge would be terribly unbalanced balistically, and a 20 gauge slug doesn't need to be any longer because you aren't going to make it a rifle with just a longer chamber.
Many years ago I had a customer get mad at me because I wouldn't order him a Colt SAA in 44/45 to match his other one.

Jack, I think you are correct about the chamber length. The guy probably measured the chamber and found it was longer than 3 inch which guns chambered for 3 inch are. They forget the shell has to open.

Maybe an H&R Ultra Slug Hunter. Hastings did some H&Rs, I disremember who marketed them - Hastings or H&R - but they were called the Ultra Slug Hunter. 3 1/2" 20 Gauge.

DC

Out of curiosity I did a Google search and this came up. Midway sells 3 1/2 20 gauge.


http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse?TabID=3&Categoryid=19610&categorystring=653***9217***

Not to be a snide, know-it-all, punk, jerkwater puke...but youall might just do a search for Hastin 20 gauge, 3.5" shotgun...the information you will get might just open your eyes to a not-so-new slug shooter from days of of yore...One very mean killing machine on my list of must have's. :D

'Njoy

I stand corrected. P. T. Barnum proves to be right again.